Raja Shaukat Bhatti moves privilege motion against Usama Leghari over agriculture office ‘misrepresentation’

Government member Raja Shaukat Bhatti has announced the initiation of a privilege motion against Parliamentary Secretary for Agriculture Usama Leghari, alleging misrepresentation of facts regarding agriculture offices and field operations in Punjab.

He also sent fresh photographs of the concerned office to the Speaker of the Punjab Assembly.

Raja Shaukat Bhatti claimed in the House that the Agriculture Office and its building in Gujar Khan were deserted, saying there was no staff present and no basic facilities available. He further alleged that the building had been illegally occupied and was being used for keeping animals.

Calling the situation a serious matter of misrepresentation, Bhatti said such claims presented to the House were misleading and warranted formal action. He stated that a privilege motion had been moved against Usama Leghari for allegedly providing incorrect information.

Deputy Speaker Zaheer Iqbal Chanar referred the matter to the Privileges Committee for further examination.

In response, Parliamentary Secretary for Agriculture Usama Leghari rejected the allegations, stating that the Gojra Agriculture Office was fully functional. He maintained that the Agriculture Officer and Field Assistant were regularly performing duties in different villages as part of their fieldwork.

Leghari termed the accusations as misrepresentation and unfair to the House, adding that field-based agriculture work required staff mobility rather than constant presence in office buildings.

During the proceedings, concerns were also raised about environmental pollution caused by threshers. The Speaker of the Punjab Assembly remarked that threshers currently in use are outdated and contribute to pollution, noting that some machinery in operation dates back to 1965.

Member Malik Muhammad Ahmed Khan suggested installing filters on threshers to reduce environmental impact.

Responding to the discussion, Usama Leghari said modern agricultural practices, including the use of threshers and crop choppers, are being promoted to reduce pollution and improve harvesting efficiency.

Reporter: Rao Dilshad